1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to network elements and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for intelligent management of a network element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data communication networks may include various, hubs, switches, routers, and other network devices, interconnected and configured to handle data as it passes through the network. These devices will be referred to herein as “network elements.” Data is communicated through the data communication network by passing data packets (or cells, frames, or segments) between the network elements by utilizing one or more communication links. A particular packet may be handled by multiple network elements and cross multiple communication links as it travels between its source and its destination over the network.
Network elements occasionally encounter failure due to a hardware problem or, more commonly, due to a problem with software that has been loaded onto the network element to enable the network element to perform advanced functions, such as switching, routing, filtering, and policing functions. The failure may be recoverable, i.e. may be one from which the network element may be restarted over the network. Certain instances of network element failure, however, are not recoverable and may even require a new software image to be loaded onto the network element. Similarly, routine updates to increase the functionality or reliability of the network element may require a new software image to be loaded onto the network element.
Conventional network elements contain a RS232 interface, or an equivalent interface, to enable a network engineer or other person to interface a laptop computer to the network element. Where the interface to the network element is an RS232 interface operating at 9.6 Kilobits per second (Kb/s), uploading a new image to the network element may take a considerable amount of time, especially as software images used by network elements have become increasingly large to accommodate the enhanced functionality expected of modern network elements. Indeed, given the size of current software images, which sometimes exceed 10 s of Mbytes, even where a RS232C port operating at 115 Kb/s is utilized, loading a new software image to the network element may take a considerable amount of time.
More importantly, a standard RS232 or RS232C interface requires the network element to be operational before access to the network element may be obtained. Management of the network element over a communications network, while faster than using a standard RS232 port, is likewise generally impossible in the event of network device failure. For example, where port 162/udp (or another network port) is used to enable a network element to be controlled using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), network element failure generally renders the network element's Management Information Base (MIB) inaccessible. Similarly, an Ethernet port is generally not operable without a full TCP protocol stack. Where the network device is experiencing failure, it may not be possible to load a full TCP stack, thus rendering the Ethernet management port largely useless. This prevents information associated with the failure from being accessible to the management station when it is needed most—during the failure. Accordingly, conventional ports cannot in many situations help a network manager identify and fix problems on network elements without rebooting the network element and trying to recreate or trace, after the fact, the cause of the fault.